How To Handle Challenges In Age Gap Relationships

Better
known
as
May-December
loves,
age
gap
relationships
can
be
rewarding
but
also
trying
for
those
involved.
Though
age
might
be
'just
a
number,'
some
challenges
come
with
age
differences.
This
doesn't
mean
that
age
gap
relationships
are
doomed,
but
they
may
take
more
work.
If
you're
part
of
a
May-December
romance,
one
of
the
best
ways
to
make
sure
your
love
lasts
is
to
prepare
for
challenges,
and
come
up
with
possible
solutions
for
any
trials
you're
already
facing
or
are
likely
to
face.

Learn How You Can Face Age Gap Relationship Challenges In Online Therapy

Age
Gap
Challenges
and
Solutions

Every
relationship
has
strengths
and
strains.
Partners
in
age
gap
relationships
must
tackle
a
unique
set
of
challenges
that
couples
with
smaller
windows
of
age
will
probably
never
face.

Some
of
these
challenges
include
family
concerns,
money
concerns,
and
blended
family
struggles.
These
are
not
impossible
to
manage
but
do
require
some
extra
work
from
both
parties.
If
you
and
your
partner
are
willing
to
put
the
work
in,
you
can
make
the
relationship
thrive.

Many
couples
have
great
success
in
age
gap
relationships,
but
for
others,
it
requires
work.

No
matter
which
group
you
fall
under,
you
can
get
assistance.
Couples
therapy
has
shown
great
success
helping
people
manage
age
gap
relationships,
especially
in
cases
where
both
parties
are
willing
to
work
out
the
issues.
Couples
around
the
world
make
age
gap
relationships
work,
and
you
can,
too!
Let's
discuss
a
few
of
the
challenges
you
may
face
in
an
age
gap
relationship,
along
with
some
possible
solutions.

Challenge
1:
Family
Concerns

One
of
the
most
common
challenges
is
family
disapproval.
Although
you
may
be
head
over
heels
in
love,
one
or
both
of
your
families
may
not
be
accepting
of
your
relationship.
Unfortunately,
lack
of
family
support
is
typical,
especially
in
20-year
age
gap
relationships.

Solution

First,
hear
out
your
family
and
friends'
concerns.
Although
it
might
be
difficult,
do
your
best
to
listen
carefully
and
respond
calmly.
Don't
meet
them
with
criticism
or
defensiveness.

Next,
ask
yourself
as
honestly
as
you
can
if
any
of
their
concerns
valid.
Even
if
you
don't
think
so,
it's
important
to
make
sure
your
loved
ones
feel
heard.
Respond
to
their
questions,
provide
clarity,
and
express
your
feelings
(sadness,
anger,
etc.)
as
well
as
your
need
for
support
going
forward.

Source:
pexels.com

Knowing
that
you've
listened
to
what
they
had
to
say
might
help
your
family/friends
be
more
accepting
of
your
choices.
If
not,
you
may
have
to
take
a
step
back
from
those
relationships/friendships
for
a
while.

Challenge
2:
Blending
Families

Another
common
issue
for
people
in
age
gap
relationships
is
figuring
out
how
to
blend
already
established
families
into
one
happy
clan.
This
is
a
challenge
that
many
couples
face,
even
those
without
age
gaps,
but
significant
differences
in
age
can
make
it
even
more
difficult.
This
is
especially
true
of
couples
who
have
children
from
previous
marriages
that
are
close
to
the
age
of
the
new
spouse.

Solution

There
are
many
blended
family
scenarios
that
can
come
into
play
when
one
partner
is
much
older
than
the
other,
but
the
solutions
work
regardless.

The
first
step
is
to
work
on
a
solid
understanding
of
the
situation
with
your
spouse.
Unless
you
two
are
on
the
same
page
when
it
comes
to
children,
boundaries,
rules,
and
consequences,
true
blending
will
never
take
place.

Then,
be
realistic
with
yourself
and
others,
and
limit
your
expectations
as
best
you
can.
You
can't
expect
to
fall
in
love
with
your
partner's
children
overnight,
and
the
children
may
never
fall
in
love
with
you!
The
same
goes
for
your
partner
and
your
children.
Although
this
might
be
a
tough
pill
to
swallow,
it's
a
reality
many
couples
face
after
the
dust
has
settled
and
the
honeymoon
is
over.

The
key
is
to
remain
civil
and
connected.

Don't
give
or
accept
ultimatums,
communicate
often,
and
insist
on
respect.
Find
the
time
to
do
things
that
will
help
you
bond
as
a
family.
This
will
help
close
the
blended
family
breach
that
many
age
gap
relationships
struggle
to
close.

You
might
also
consider
counseling,
since
having
a
professional
can
help
struggling
families
put
aside
their
differences
for
the
greater
good
of
the
family
unit.
BetterHelp
has
counselors
that
specialize
in
these
types
of
challenges
and
can
help
you
get
on
the
right
track.

Learn How You Can Face Age Gap Relationship Challenges In Online Therapy

Challenge
3:
Having
More
Children

Some
questions
should
be
asked
before
tying
the
knot.
Whether
or
not
you
plan
to
have
more
children
is
a
major
one.
Though
this
may
seem
like
a
question
that
can
be
sorted
out
down
the
road,
it
can
also
end
otherwise
loving
marriages.

The
subject
of
having
more
children
is
one
that
can
come
up
in
any
marriage,
even
those
that
don't
have
big
differences
in
age.
But
the
conversation
can
become
more
difficult
in
age
gap
relationships,
especially
when
one
partner
has
already
raised
a
family
and
the
other
hasn't.

Solution

It's
important
for
both
partners
to
consider
not
only
their
willingness
to
have
children
but
also
their
ability
to
have
more
kids.
In
age
gap
relationships
where
the
woman
is
the
older
partner,
having
children
naturally
might
not
be
an
option.
In
some
cases,
children
might
be
on
the
table
if
alternative
routes
(IVF,
surrogacy,
adoption,
etc.)
are
acceptable
by
both
partners.

What's
important
is
that
you
never
assume.
Ask,
discuss,
and
decide
if
the
situation
is
one
that
you
can
live
with
long-term.
If
not,
a
compromise
might
be
necessary.

Challenge
4:
Money
Matters

Money
issues
are
one
of
the
most
common
causes
of
discord
between
couples
of
any
age.
With
age
gap
relationships,
there
tends
to
be
unique
financial
situations
that
wouldn't
be
common
in
other
types
of
marriages.

When
one
couple
is
much
older
than
the
other,
it
increases
the
likelihood
that
one
partner
would
have
an
established
career,
be
more
financially
stable,
own
property,
and
have
investments.
Although
this
isn't
always
the
case,
when
it
is,
special
care
has
to
be
taken
to
make
sure
both
parties
enter
the
marriage
on
the
same
page
about
who
owns
what
and
what
will
happen
financially
if
things
don't
work
out.
Couples
must
also
consider
how
things
will
change
when
the
older
partner
has
to
retire
(sometimes
years
before)
the
other
spouse.

Solution

With
money
matters,
simply
"talking
it
out"
isn't
a
likely
solution.
Instead,
couples
should
sit
down
with
a
financial
planner
and
come
up
with
a
plan
for
the
future.
Just
as
BetterHelp's
professional
therapists
can
help
you
deal
with
personal
and
family
issues,
a
financial
guru
can
help
you
solve
money
matters.

Many
spouses
are
opposed
to
these
types
of
meetings
because
they
fear
the
conversation
will
lead
to
mention
of
the
dreaded
"prenup"
or
"postnup,"
but
that's
not
always
the
case.
Most
of
the
time,
both
partners
will
leave
the
meeting
feeling
empowered
and
protected
with
a
solid
plan
for
their
future
in
place.

Challenge
5:
Growing
Apart

"Irreconcilable
differences"
is
divorce
talk
for
"we
just
couldn't
make
it."
More
than
any
of
the
other
challenges
that
come
along
with
age
gap
relationships,
growing
apart
ranks
as
the
number
one
reason
for
divorce.
These
changes
can
be
physical,
emotional,
spiritual,
sexual,
or
just
plain
personal.

Source:
unsplash.com

Many
couples
with
large
age
differences
come
to
impasses
where
one
partner
is
ready
to
do
X,
and
the
other
spouse
is
still
focused
on
Y.
Neither
is
wrong
for
the
way
they
feel,
but
no
one
knows
who
should
give
in.
When
one
spouses
are
in
different
stages
in
their
lives,
they
can
feel
alienated
and
alone.
If
these
feelings
are
rising
in
you,
your
partner
likely
feels
the
same.

Solution

If
you
find
that
you
and
your
spouse
are
beginning
to
drift
apart,
don't
wait
until
the
gap
is
too
far
to
close
to
ask
for
help.
Instead,
seek
relationship
advice
from
a
BetterHelp
professional
who
can
offer
personalized
assistance.

Just
like
any
relationship,
a
May-December
love
will
take
work
and
commitment.
Knowing
what
challenges
you
are
likely
to
face
is
the
first
step
to
building
a
strong
foundation.
Now
when
a
difficult
situation
comes
along,
you
won't
feel
sucker-punched
with
surprise.
Instead,
you'll
be
prepared
and
strapped
with
possible
solutions.

Other
Solutions

If
you
are
feeling
stressed
as
a
result
of
the
problems
you're
experiencing,
there
are
a
few
things
you
can
try.

One
solution
is
deep
breathing.
Breathing
exercises
are
great
for
calming
down
and
collecting
your
emotions.
This
can
help
with
anxiety
and
also
reduce
negative
feelings
within.

Another
thing
you
might
try
is
journaling
with
your
partner.
This
will
not
only
help
you
release
frustrations,
but
it
will
also
give
you
a
great
reference
point
while
you're
trying
to
strengthen
your
relationship.

Lastly,
take
care
of
yourself.
Self-care
is
so
important
when
it
comes
to
being
in
a
healthy
relationship.
If
you
are
happy
inside,
you
can
make
your
partner
happy,
too!

How
BetterHelp
Can
Help

Therapy
could
be
a
great
option
if
you're
struggling
with
relationship
issues
due
to
age
gaps.
Much
can
be
done
to
help
your
relationship-and
if
things
truly
aren't
working,
a
therapist
can
help
you
move
forward.

The
counselors
and
therapists
at
BetterHelp
are
licensed
professionals
who
have
dedicated
their
lives
to
helping
people
just
like
you.
If
you
feel
there
isn't
much
you
can
do
to
fix
your
situation,
a
therapist
may
be
able
to
help
you
realize
possibilities
you
never
imagined.
Read
below
for
some
reviews
of
BetterHelp
counselors,
from
people
experiencing
similar
issues.

Counselor
Reviews

"I
really
enjoyed
my
sessions
with
Dr.
Anstadt.
He
helped
me
see
how
one
issue
was
affecting
multiple
aspects
of
my
life.
He
has
greatly
improve
my
relationships
with
the
people
I'm
closest
to
and
even
the
way
I
approach
work.
I
have
seen
a
huge
difference
in
my
relationships
already,
and
I
have
several
tools
to
help
me
manage
the
issues
I
started
seeking
therapy
for.
I
cannot
express
how
thankful
I
am
to
Dr.
I
Anstadt!"

"She
has
been
a
great
listening
ear,
and
given
me
some
great
suggestions
to
improving
my
relationship."

Conclusion

Age
gap
relationships
pose
many
challenges,
but
if
you
truly
feel
you're
right
for
each
other,
you
can
make
your
relationship
work.
Therapy
could
offer
tremendous
help.
Take
the
first
step
to
a
fulfilling
relationship,
with
challenges
overcome,
today.

The information on this page is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. You should not take any action or avoid taking any action without consulting with a qualified mental health professional. For more information, please read our terms of use.

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